In 2016, the 31st Summer Olympics were held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with 207 nations taking part and more than 11,000 athletes competing. Team GB had a team of 366 athletes participating in 25 sports from swimming to athletics.
To wish Team GB luck at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, this circulating commemorative 50p was issued by the Royal Mint.
This coin represented the excitement for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games following the tremendous success of the British competitors at their home games in London 2012.
If you’re interested in other Olympic games 50p coins, there are others that might interest you. There are the ever popular 29 Olympic 50p coins for the 2012 Summer Games, issued in 2011, including the Football 50p, Triathlon 50p, Wrestling 50p and the Judo 50p.
The 2016 Team GB 50p coin has a number of different names such as the Team GB 50p which is the official title given by the Royal Mint, the Rio 50p and the Swimmer 50p. So how much is it worth and is it a rare coin? Let's find out.
Having researched the most recent online sales on eBay and Amazon this coin is worth around £2.10 in good circulated condition, but prices have gone as high as £5. So why is this coin worth more than it's face value? Let's take a look.
Design of the 2016 Team GB Rio 50p coin
The Team GB 50p was designed by Tim Sharp and Peter Blake from the brand design agency, Uniform. The image shows the moment where a swimmer is in mid-butterfly stroke, ready to dive back into the water.
Peter Blake, in an interview with the Royal Mint, described why they chose this design. 'We chose the swimmer because it was such a dramatic, iconic pose. It’s not meant to be a specific athlete at all – it was more about choosing an athlete that felt very poised and energetic rather than singling out an athlete, and, we’re pretty good at swimming so we thought a swimmer was perfect!'
In the centre to the upper right, is the Team GB's lion emblem, and below it are the words 'Team GB.' The Olympic rings are located below that.
The value and denomination are on the obverse.
The obverse of the coin depicts the crowned old head of Queen Elizabeth II facing right, wearing the Royal Diamond Diadem crown worn for her Coronation (effigy known as the "Fifth Portrait").
Running continuously around the effigy is the monarch's legend and the date: ELIZABETH II · D · G · REG · F · D · 50 PENCE · 2016.
Translated from Latin: Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, Queen, Defender of the Faith, followed by the value and denomination in English.
In small letters below the head, the artist's initials J.C for Jody Clark.
Mintage of the Coin
Official figures from the Royal Mint's website show that a total of 6.4 million of the 2016 Team GB 50p coins entered circulation.
There were 6,400,000 Team GB 50p coins in circulation in 2016 as well as 34,162 brilliant uncirculated coins, 1,296 Silver Proof Piedfort coins, 3,956 Silver Proof coins and 302 Gold Proof coins.
In the same year, the Royal Mint issued a whole host of commemorative coins including 5 from the Beatrix Potter series, a Battle of Hastings 50p and five commemorative £2 coins including the Shakespeare Comedies £2 coin.
Is the 2016 Team GB 50p Coin Rare?
With a mintage of 6.4 million the coin is not particularly rare in comparison with some other commemorative coins such as the 2016 Jemima Puddle-duck 50p or the 2017 Isaac Newton 50p coin that both have a mintage around 2 million. It has a similar mintage to the 1994 D Day Landing 50p and the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games 50p coin.
Nevertheless, it is a great coin to receive in your change that is more than its face value and a wonderful coin to add to your collection.
How Much Is the 2016 Team GB 50p Coin Worth Today?
We would expect the circulated Team GB 50p to be worth around £2.10 in today's market excluding any postage costs. As always, it is difficult to put an exact price on a coin as all coins vary in condition.
Where Can I Buy the 2016 Team GB 50p Coin?
You can buy the coin from Copes Coins today.
Or you can buy the Team GB 50p coin online on auction sites such as eBay or Amazon but please ensure you look at all the information and reputation of the seller.
Unfortunately, as this coin is now nearly 7 years old, the Royal Mint no longer stock this coin so it is only available to buy on the secondary market.
Are there any known errors of this coin?
The Royal Mint has not confirmed any error versions of the 2016 Battle of Hastings 50p, so any listings on eBay or Amazon that are trying to market an ‘error’ version are trying to trick buyers and artificially inflate the price.
Bit of Trivia...
At the Rio Olympics, Team GB brought home 27 Gold medals, 23 Silver medals, and 17 Bronze, ranking second in the overall medal table. Some highlights include Max Whitlock winning Britain’s first ever gold medal in men’s gymnastics and Sophie Hitchon winning Britain’s first medal ever in the women’s hammer.